MIRPURKHAS, Dec 29: Hundreds of farmers held a demonstration outside the office of EDO of agriculture on Monday in protest against ‘artificially-created’ shortage of urea fertiliser and its blackmarketing in connivance with officers of agriculture department.

The farmers from Mirpurkhas, Jhillori, Khaan, Hussain Bux Mari, Old Mirpur and other adjoining areas who had gathered outside the office to get fertiliser at official rate protested when they learnt the EDO had not come to the office to distribute fertiliser.

EDO Wali Mohammad Bughio was scheduled to distribute fertiliser among growers under a new procedure adopted by the district administration.

The protesters who had been waiting for the EDO since early morning told journalists that the district administration had failed to end shortage of fertiliser and stop its blackmarketing.

They said that the dealers were selling urea at Rs875 to 900 per bag in violation of its fixed price of Rs660 per bag in connivance with officers of agriculture department.

They said that they were made to stand whole day from morning till evening daily outside the EDO’s office to get a few bags of urea at official price but they had to return empty-handed while the fertiliser was given to agents.